Palakkad | Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Monday attributed the ongoing power crisis in the state to an increase in electricity consumption triggered by LPG scarcity amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

He also expressed hope that rainfall would help ease the situation.

The minister said the shortage of cooking gas has led to increased reliance on induction cookers, significantly pushing up power usage across the state.

"The war must end and rain should arrive. That is the expectation," the minister told the media here, adding that even a single day of substantial rainfall could bring considerable relief.

Krishnankutty said permission has been granted by the Regulatory Commission to procure additional electricity from outside the state as a temporary measure to manage the crisis.

He, however, said it was too early to say whether power tariffs would be increased, while maintaining that there would be no load shedding.

The minister also noted that efforts were being made to avoid a hike in electricity charges, even if it means a reduction in profit margins.

The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission had allowed the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to purchase 250 MW of power daily till May 15 after the utility sought approval to meet the growing demand.

On April 17, Kerala's daily electricity consumption touched 116.11 million units, the highest recorded so far this month, while peak power demand reached an all-time high of 6,013 MW, according to official figures.